Electrical clock



Sept 17, 1929- ABRAM-Louls .umNr-:RETJ FILS 1,728,338

ELECTRICAL CLOCK .Filed April 18, 1927 Figs.

/en f UNITED STATES PATENT oFFica ABRAM-LOIJ'IS JEA'NNERET, FILS, OF LACHAUXA-DE-FONIDS, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO COMPTOIR GENERAL DE VENTE DELAA MONTRE ROSKOPF SOCIETE ANONYME VVE. CES. LEON SCHMID & CIE., OF LACHAUX-DE-FONDS, SWITZERLAND nLnc'rRrcaL cnocx Application led pril 18,1927, Serial No. 184,802, and. in Germany December 10, '1926.

p The present invention relates to an electrical clock for which themotive power is furnishedvby a main spring bent periodically by theoscillating armature of an elec- `5 tro-magnet. The power of said springis Atransmitted to the clockwork and this latter closes a circuitactuating said armature or pallet before the said spring is completely-lnbent During the short time of the bending of the main spring asmallauxiliary spring bearing on the pallet furnishes the impu se for keepingup the movement ot the clockwork.

Such an arrangement has the advantage to set in readiness the powerrequired for breaking the circuit -when the pallet begins `to move vsothat, when a gradual decrease v of the voltage at the source of thecurrent is produced by the consumption of current which will-show itselfb .a decrease of the sway of the armature, t e 'breaking can be Aeffected with the required power furnished by the auxiliary spring.

In the accompanying drawing a working \orm is shown of the object oi theinvention.

Figs. 1 agi 2 are plan views, Fig. lshowing the position of' parts whenthe circuit is open and Fig. 2 when it is closed.

.Armature 5 is pivotally supportedbetween the poles 2 of theelectro-magnet 3 by an axle 4 which takes the place of the barrel arborof the clock. A contact nose 18 provided with a carrier pin 20 andforming one member of a make and break contact device is rigidly fast tothe amature and likewise a cross arm 6 which is attached .'by a tensionspring 7 which is the main spring of the clock, to a stationary stud 8.On the same axle 4 is also mounte loose an insulating arm 19 which iscoupled trailingly with the contact held loose on the axis 4 and.- isconnected with the contact nose 18 by means of a circularly curved hairspring 25. A contact piece 22 forming the second member of the make andbreak contact de- Lvice is fast to a flat spring 23 bent off at its freeend at 2,6. The insulating arm 19 is provided with two notches 27, 28separated by a tooth 29 and forming rests for the bent 0d end of spring23 in the make contact and the break contact positions of the armature.

When in the position shown in Fig. 2 the circuit is closed the armature5 moves in aclockwise sense. It takes the Contact nose 18 along with itand bends the hair spring 25 because the end 24 of said spring attachedto the arm 19 is kept stationary with ksaid arm by spring 23 while theother fixing point of the spring moves with the-contact nose. Duringthis movement the contact nose lifts the contact piece 22 so that thebent-off edge 26 gradually leaves the notch. 28 until the contactbetween 22 and 18 is broken at the moment when edge 26 has reached theedge of tooth 29 the tension of spring 25 will eect the dragging alongof the insulating arm and the dropping of spring 23 into the notch 27.The breaking of the contact will deenergize the electromagnet, so thatspring 7 is free to swing the armature 5 back again into the position ofFig. 2.

Dueto this swinging of the armature the clockwork is wound up. As soonas armature 5 has taken this position of Fig. 2 pin Cil 20 will come tobear on the arm 19 and I push it back until spring 2,3 has snapped overthe tooth 29 and' piece 22 has been laid iiat upon the nose 18. Then thecircuit is closed again and the same play will take place as before.

What I claim is:

In an electric clock a make and break coritact device comprising anelectro-magnet,` an oscillating armature or p allet depending thereonand mounted fast on the driving arbor f the clock,l a contact nose andan arm rigidly fast to said armature, and a tens1on or main springconnecting said arm to a stationary stud, a fiat contact spring arrangedso as to be engaged by said contact nose and having a bent oii' end, aninsulating arm mounted loose on said arbor and provided with notches asrests for the bent oif end of the contact spring in its make contact andits break contact positions, a circularly curved hair spring as couplingmember between said insulated arm and said con- {tact nose and a carrierpin fast to the contact nose and adapted to disengage said con? tactspring from the break contact notch.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

ABRAM-LOUIS J EANNERET FILS.

